March 25, 2016. I had already walked nearly eight miles, feeling tired but content. It was a warm afternoon on the Florida Panhandle, and my husband and I were exploring the recreation areas of Eglin Air Force Base, which is the size of Rhode Island. For an annual $20 fee, I could roam the open…

March 23, 2016. Last week I discussed the downside to ecological awareness, i.e. an enhanced knowledge of environmental destruction and the guilt and frustration that goes with it. However, there’s an equally important side to the coin: the thrill of discovery in the natural world. My parents planned a visit to see me on the…

March 21, 2016. It was a beautiful evening. The sun had begun to set, casting a golden light across a local park on the Florida Panhandle. I was showing my visiting parents around one of my favorite eco hotspots, and we walked a boardwalk between marsh grasses and maritime forest. The park we were visiting…